Cabbage Leaves and Pancakes
by Ladyminecrafter
Summary: Genma is sneaking into town with a cabbage leaf on his head, wait what? Genma's confidence comes back to bite him when he challenges Kayo to a dsiplay of talent but does he have ulterior motives?
1. Chapter 1

This is a spin-off of my _Finding Peace_ story and a collaboration with my friend whose fanfic name is Writing Impasse. It makes much more sense if you are familiar with _Finding Peace_ but I think it's ok as long as you know the canon characters involved. The events referred to in the first few paragraphs of this story happen in _FP_ in chapters 7 and 8. We aren't sure how far we'll take it but it's 3 parts for sure.

_I told someone I would write a GenmaxKayo (OC) for her and this is the result. Of course I don't own any part of Naruto, the OC Kayo and the Tanaka family (except for Hikari) is my friends creation and I have to give credit for the cabbage leaf to Snapple, made from the best stuff on earth! I hope you enjoy and check out our other work also..._

_Disclaimers- All characters and the world are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. He's done an amazing job of creating them and making them come alive for us. This story is my creation of what might happen with his characters. Thank you for reading_

* * *

Genma was sneaking into town early on a Sunday morning desperately hoping he wouldn't run into anyone he knew. He'd lost a bet and had to wear a cabbage leaf in his headband for the entire day. He was sure he wouldn't hear the end of it if his friends saw it. Or if they found why he was wearing it. As he was slinking through the shadows he reflected on what had gotten him into this mess in the first place, his big mouth. He grimaced to himself maybe he should sew it shut with a senbon pin.

* * *

Kayo and Hikari finished closing up the shop. Asami's ankle was healing nicely which was good because Kayo would be cleared for work again soon and wouldn't have time to help anymore. Asami was sad about that but understood, and respected, that being a ninja was Kayo's first responsibility. Kayo had been injured on her last mission and she was fully healed but the medical-nin had told her she still needed a week or so before he was willing to put her back in the field.

They laughed together, as only sisters can, on their way home. Hikari's long red hair which was lighter at the ends than it was at the roots glistened in the sunshine and made Kayo's pink look even pinker than it usually did. As they came into the center of town Kayo had an idea "Hey! Lets stop for pancakes! I've got onigiri coming out my eyeballs and need a change." Kayo didn't understand how Hikari had worked in that shop for the last three years. Everyday it was onigiri this and onigiri that. Tuna onigiri, umeboshi onigiri, you name it Asami made it. She knew they were the best around but that didn't make her like them anymore. She'd had enough onigiri to last her a lifetime and she didn't even eat them! Unless she had to of course, on a mission you ate what there was to eat, even bugs and onigiri.

Hikari laughed and was about to answer when Genma appeared in front of them. Kayo had actually almost walked right into him, it had been his sharp ninja skill alone that had saved her from being bowled over by the almost six foot ninja. "I could go for a pancake. Do you two lovely ladies have an extra seat at your table?" His senbon pin hung out of his mouth in a precarious position, as if it might fall out completely but he seemed to have good control over it so Hikari wasn't too worried.

"Actually I promised Obasan that I'd come home and help her with something, I can't Kayo." Kayo looked sad, it was apparent that her older sister wanted to get to know this senbon wielding ninja. When he'd come by the shop with Kichirou and Raido the other day to see Asami she had noticed Kayo checking him out. She had an idea. "But Kayo would love to lecture you on the history of pancakes Genma. She's quite the expert." Really, it was sad but even though she was in her mid-twenties teasing her older sister was still her favorite pastime.

Kayo wasn't sure if she should hug her sister or just kill her straight away. She had just engineered a date with senbon boy for her after all but in the same breath she'd made her sound like a freak who studied pancakes for a hobby. She decided to let her live. "Oh yeah senbon boy, I know all about pancakes, it's fascinating." She rolled her eyes at him and looked at her sister sideways.

Genma wasn't sure what he had gotten himself into. He knew the Tanaka family was known for their unconventionality but the history of pancakes? Well, it could be interesting and she was pretty to look at if nothing else.

Hikari took off for home and Genma and Kayo waved goodbye and headed for the pancake stand.


	2. Chapter 2

As Genma and Kayo walked towards the pancake stand Genma thought about what he might have gotten himself into. On the one hand he was about to spend the next hour or so staring at one of the prettiest girls he'd ever laid eyes on. On the other hand, he'd just found out she was an expert...on pancakes. He hoped he didn't regret this or at least that Raido or one of the guys would come by and rescue him if he needed rescuing.

"So, an expert on pancakes, huh? That sounds interesting. I thought your specialty was chakra control." He was sure he'd heard that she was a taijutsu and chakra control master but no one had ever said anything about pancakes.

"Oh yeah they're fascinating. All sorts of books about them at the library. Unfortunately I've been the victim of a famous Tanaka jutsu- little sister no jutsu." She laughed as it dawned on him that Hikari had been teasing them both while contriving an excuse for them to spend time together.

Genma sighed with relief, so she wasn't some pancake studying freak who would spend the next hour elaborating on the intricacies of them while he fell asleep and hoped for rescue. He had fought a lot of intense battles in his career as a ninja and he was sure that this was one he didn't want to face. He had stayed single for a reason. Most girls, even ninja girls, were too wrapped up in being girls and no fun to spend time with.

They found a table and once their order was placed they picked up their conversation.

"Actually, chakra control is my families specialty. And, if I can say it without sounding too arrogant, I'm pretty good at it. But then you're no slouch yourself on the battlefield."

Genma was pleased that, not only did his reputation precede him, she had bothered to pay attention when his name was mentioned. "Yeah, I can hold my own." No need to lay it on too thick. No one liked an arrogant bastard, even if it was true. "So what are your jutsu's?"

"Well I mostly use my Taijutsu, but I'm nowhere near Gai's level." She said laughing.

He like her laugh, it was to the point but not one of the creepy stop-on-a-dime laughs.

"I'm a ninjutsu type but I'm decent at taijutsu and genjutsu. What about you?" He asked

"I have a few ninjutsu's." she said, fiddling with her straw wrapper.

"Well what about Genjutsu?"

"Have you ever put peanut butter on your pancakes?" she said quickly.

"Are you avoiding the question?" He asked playfully.

Kayo was quickly losing her temper, so what if she wasn't good at genjutsu!

"Maybe the Tanaka's aren't all they're cracked up to be." he teased.

He had no right to make fun of her like that! Kayo decided that she was going to call him out. "Ok senbon boy! If you're so good lets have a showdown! I bet I can soak you to the bones and if I do you'll have to wear a cabbage leaf in your headband for a whole day."

Genma looked at the fiery pinkette in front of him and idly wondered if the wrong child in the Tanaka family had ended up with red hair. Or maybe Hikari's temper was worse? He knew Kakashi was spending more time over there, perhaps he should be warned. "You're on. You won't even be able to lay on finger on me never mind dunk me in the lake."

Kayo looked at him with confidence, he had no idea what he was agreeing to.


	3. Chapter 3

Genma and Kayo showed up at the training grounds.

"Be careful senbon boy, I'm no push over." Kayo stated cooly, mentally however she was brimming with excitement. Fighting always made her eager, it was a way she could prove her strength but getting to fight Genma, the too-cool-for-school shinobi that caught her eye that one day in the onigiri shop, well she was a little more than enthusiastic.

Genma smirked, how he did it without giving himself a lip piercing was beyond her, then again she was the one who walked into people on a regular basis.

"Oh trust me I won't let my guard down, I've heard all about the prowess of the Tanaka clan and their skills on the battlefield." Genma said.

Kayo chuckled to herself, he had obviously never known a Tanaka personally, most of her family was just a likely to serenade you as they were to offer you tea if you came to visit.

"Okay if I soak you to the bone, you have to wear a cabbage leaf in your headband for a day, just like we agreed." Kayo said, falling into her taijutsu stance.

"That's right, but if I soak you to the bone I get a kiss." He said with a sly grin, falling into his fighting stance.

Kayo left her position.

"We never agreed to that!" She said indignantly.

"Who said ninja have to play by the rules?" Genma said as he dashed toward her.

Kayo dodged his first attack and channeled her chakra into the ground, Genma kept her on the defensive, she decided to switch to her unique taijutsu style. She landed a few hits and kicks before throwing him a good eight feet. Genma got up in time to see her weaving hand signs, he didn't recognize the sequence so he spit his senbon at her in the hopes that it would interrupt her, but she simply side-stepped like it was merely a cardboard shuriken that kids use when they play ninja.

She took a deep breath and he prepare to chakra dash if need be, she gave him a look that was a combination of confidence and feigned superiority.

"Tanaka art: weather style: rain dance!" she said. "One maca, two maca, three macarena, four maca, five maca, six macarena, seven maca, eight maca, nine macarena. Ay! Macarena!" she said while doing the corresponding hand motions.

Genma stared in disbelief as it started pouring from his personal rain cloud, which partly reflected his mood, he knew the Tanaka's were unusual but she had just danced a storm into existence and he was now soaked to the bone.

"What? Are you surprised that I won?" Kayo asked.

"First off: I let you win." Genma lied.

"Yeah you keep telling yourself that senbon boy, I'll go get a bandage for your ego." Kayo said with a hint of sarcasm

"And secondly, you did the Macarena and it started raining buckets." he said trying to ignore the ego comment.

"I made it rain rain, not buckets that wouldn't have helped me with- hey! What are you doing?!"

Genma had used the opportunity of her correction to dash over to her and scooped her up into his arms.

"Put me down!" she said. As he slowly walked away from where they'd been standing.

She hated being carried, it hurt her pride, she was a freaking ninja for heavens sake! She should be able to walk by herself. She was about to yell at him when he pressed his lips against hers.

She lost herself in the moment but pulled away quickly.

"You said you only got the kiss if you soaked me and I'm only wet where you're arms are." Kayo said in annoyance.

"No words, but actions." Genma said.

"Huh?"

He promptly dropped her. She expected a sore backside, but instead was greeted by splash. She climbed out ready to beat the stuffing out of him but he was already on the shore.

"Genma Shiranui! That was a cheap trick! I swear I'm going to throw you off the stone faces!"

"Yeah you keep telling yourself that, Pumpkin." he said with the same sarcasm she'd used earlier as he wiped off his senbon and stuck it back in is mouth.

"I'd better see you with that cabbage!" She said making her way towards the shore. "And I hope you sew your lips shut with that needle!"

* * *

And that was how Genma ended up sneaking into town with a cabbage leaf on his head. Genma's shoulders sank when he heard someone coming up behind him and heard Raido's voice, "Genma is that you?"

* * *

This completes the collab with Writing Impasse and the GenmaXKayo story...unless we come up with more that is!


End file.
